Eros Bendato in Kraków

Eros Bendato in Kraków is the giant bronze head lying on its side in the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny, roughly "RIH-nek GWOOV-nih"), right next to the Town Hall Tower. Created by the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj, it is one of the most photographed sights in Kraków's Old Town. It is worth a stop because it is free, always accessible, and offers a striking contrast between a contemporary artwork and one of Europe's largest medieval town squares.

What is the giant head in Kraków's Main Square?

The title is Italian and means "Eros bound" or "Eros blindfolded" – Poles usually just call it "the Head on the Market Square." A bronze plaque on the plinth records two key facts: the sculpture was cast in 1999, and the artist gave it to the city of Kraków in 2005. It was unveiled in October 2005 by Poland's then culture minister and the mayor of Kraków. It was first installed on a trial basis, but residents embraced it and it stayed.

According to Polish sightseeing databases, the head measures about 3.7 m (12 ft) in length and 2.25 m (7.4 ft) in height.

Who was Igor Mitoraj?

Mitoraj (1944–2014) was born in Oederan, Germany, and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where he was a student of the avant-garde artist Tadeusz Kantor. He later moved to Paris and then set up his studio in Pietrasanta, Italy, near the Carrara marble quarries. His style is easy to recognize: classical faces and bodies that look broken, bandaged or cut off, as if they were ancient fragments dug up centuries later. His works stand in cities across Europe, including bronze doors he made for the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome. In 2003, Kraków hosted an outdoor exhibition of his works on the Main Square, and donating Eros Bendato was a gesture toward the city where his artistic career began.

How to visit and what to look for

There is nothing to book and no ticket to buy: the square is open 24/7, and viewing the sculpture is free (as of October 2026). Most people spend 10 to 15 minutes here as part of a walk around the square.

A few details to notice:

• The blindfold – a band wraps across the eyes, which gives the work its name.
• The empty eye sockets – the head is hollow, and you can look inside through the openings.
• The cracks and missing pieces – a deliberate effect that makes the bronze look like an ancient relic.
• The setting – the Gothic Town Hall Tower rises behind it, and the Renaissance Cloth Hall stands in front.

For photos without crowds, come early in the morning. During Christmas markets, concerts and festivals, stages and stalls may be set up nearby, so the angle from the tower side often works best. Please don't climb on it – the plinth is high and the bronze gets slippery.

How to get there

Kraków is in southern Poland, about 2.5 hours from Warsaw by express train. If you fly in, Kraków John Paul II Airport (Balice) is linked by train to Kraków Główny, the main station. From the station, walk through the Planty park ring and down Floriańska Street to the Main Square; the head is on the western side, by the tall brick-and-stone Town Hall Tower. The Old Town has restricted car access, so leave your car in a garage outside the center. Cards are widely accepted in Kraków, but the local currency is the Polish złoty (PLN), not the euro.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially since it costs nothing and sits on the route you will walk anyway. The whole historic center of Kraków has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, and within a few minutes of the head you can climb the Town Hall Tower, browse the Cloth Hall, listen to the bugle call from St. Mary's Basilica on the hour, and explore the Rynek Underground museum beneath the square. Kids usually love peeking into the hollow eyes, and the flat square is easy with strollers and wheelchairs.